Covid-19 booster programme to start in spring
People who are aged 75 and over, care home residents and vulnerable people are to be offered a spring Covid-19 booster jab.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said certain groups of people should be offered the vaccinations, with options including the Pfizer, Moderna, Sanofi/GSK jabs.
People aged 75 and over will be offered a jab, along with care home residents and anyone aged five and over who has a suppressed immune system.
People will be offered the vaccine around six months after their previous dose, with the booster campaign running from April 17 to June 30.
Children under the age of 12 will be offered a children's formulation of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, chairman of the JCVI's Covid-19 committee, said: "Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself against Covid-19 and the spring booster programme provides an opportunity for those who are at highest risk of severe illness to keep their immunity topped up.
"This year's spring programme will bridge the gap to the planned booster programme in the autumn.
"It will enable those who are most vulnerable to be well protected throughout the summer."
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at the UK
Health Security Agency, said: "Covid-19 is still circulating widely, and we have recently seen increases in older people being hospitalised.
"It is important that those at highest risk of severe illness do not become complacent and I would encourage everyone who is eligible to come forward once the booster programme starts."